Fully Independent Guy In Wheelchair.. Loads Of Advice Needed..

[toffo9]

Hi im a guy of 38 and looking for a life change and seriously thinking of coming to thailand later this year.. i had a road traffic accident at the age of 21 which left me in a chair but im fully independent and live life to the full... i need loads of questions answered and lots of advice so i hope you can all pass your experiences onto me good or bad .. im coming over with a friend for 3 weeks and then after that ill b by myself.. so will my safety be ok and is it better to stay in a hotel or a condo long term, also id like to help out at a charity for a couple of days a week, are there places to do this???.. meeting people is this easy or will i have difficulty.. im tempted to stay in the amari hotel for 1 year any ideas if this hotel is good or not.. good advive on places to stay is most welcome too... im sure i will have more questions but this will do for now.. i really appreciate your help and advice, thanks in advance David..

[chiangmaikelly]

Pattaya specifically and Thailand in general are not very handicapped friendly.

But having said that in a way they are. I was at a go go bar a year ago when a Brit was dancing on stage with the girls. He had a wooden leg and one of the guys at the bar told him to take off his shoes so he would not mar the mirror surface of the stage. I asked the guy to give him a break because he had a wooden leg. The man who had spoken pulled up his pant leg and lo and behold he had a wooden leg too. What are the odds of two guys with wooden legs being at the same bar in Pattaya?

There was a guy in a wheelchair that used to wheel buy the same bar on Soi LK Metro every day at the same time. All the girls would give him a go but he never said yes.

One day after a year he finally said yes. I was amazed and after he left asked the girl what line she had used after a year of failure. She said, "I told him my husband was in a wheelchair and I had much experience."

Being in a wheelchair can't be easy anywhere. But at least in Thailand the girls will treat you just like another guy (maybe good or bad).

Find an area that you like. Get well known there. Be a nice guy. Don't drink in the same bar that you barfine in. Don't tip big but tip everyone a little. Remember it is not the principle it is the amount. Keep saying that.

There are better places than Pattaya near Pattaya but you need to see them to make a judgment.

There is no such thing as a free lunch. Not in love nor dining. Always pay for what you get. If you try and get it for free it will cost you twice as much.

If a person tries to screw you walk away. If they pay you too little give them more money. Be honest, it freaks Thai's out. Find a hospital you like and a doctor before you need them. You might need them in a hurry sometime.

Think about putting some money aside for a car and driver or at least having phone numbers of some transportation available. Do this in advance and it is much cheaper.

Most importantly, LEARN HOW TO SPEAK AND READ THAI.

Good luck

[jtp]

Just go ahead and do it,mate.The thing here,is that you really don't know till you do it.I imagine after so many years in a wheelchair,you are used to finding ways around any mobility problems,and you will find the Thais friendly and kind.If you go to Pattaya,you will do great,but BKK can be a little daunting,first time 'round.Learning Thai will be very helpful,if you are interested in visiting the country,as English is not so widely spoken outside of tourist areas.Don't think for a moment that being in a wheelchair will slow you down,i know people in wheelchairs that do just fine.Yes,the footpaths suck in BKK,but you can still navigate them.I believe it will be a great experience for you,but the heat is kinda hard to get used to,so if you like a bit of cool,make sure you get an airconditioned place,and don't forget you can buy bottled cold water everywhere here.Good luck.

[toffo9]

Thanks guys.. im in a sports wheelchair and im pretty swift lol.. Just slightly concerned about the safety thing in thailand.. i travel allover but ive never been to asia before and i do drive and will need to find out where in thai i can get hand controls fitted to a vehicle..

[jtp]

Thanks guys.. im in a sports wheelchair and im pretty swift lol.. Just slightly concerned about the safety thing in thailand.. i travel allover but ive never been to asia before and i do drive and will need to find out where in thai i can get hand controls fitted to a vehicle..

Mate,really you will be fine.Just do it,and love it!!

[anothertorres]

i have seen many guys getting around on wheelchairs here and they seem to be having as much fun as everyone else. there is always someone to help you. in fact, 2 months ago i helped lift a guy in a wheelchair up into RollingStoneBar. shortly thereafter i was at Angkor Wat and my friend and i helped lift a guy up onto one of the stone platforms so that he could get the same view everyone else was seeing.

you'll do just fine and your previous 17 years of being in a wheelchair will be all the training you need to get around. mind you, there may be times where you won't make it across the street or you won't be able to hop onto a baht bus, but you'll do just fine.

there will always be someone to help you, even if it's always a male farang

[jtp]

i have seen many guys getting around on wheelchairs here and they seem to be having as much fun as everyone else. there is always someone to help you. in fact, 2 months ago i helped lift a guy in a wheelchair up into RollingStoneBar. shortly thereafter i was at Angkor Wat and my friend and i helped lift a guy up onto one of the stone platforms so that he could get the same view everyone else was seeing.

you'll do just fine and your previous 17 years of being in a wheelchair will be all the training you need to get around. mind you, there may be times where you won't make it across the street or you won't be able to hop onto a baht bus, but you'll do just fine.

there will always be someone to help you, even if it's always a male farang

See mate,you will always get help from friendly people,you will love it here.

[PhilHarries]

I think your first big decision will be; Hotel or condo? Hotels are fine, and the Amari is great (I had 2 x 1 month stays there back in the early 90's), but for a year if you are in any way independantly minded they get very claustrophobic very quick not to mention expensive (relatively). My advice is go ahead book yourself in the Amari, it's a bit far out from the action but it will do for a start, and once you've found the ropes look around for a condo.

You'll find getting around Pattaya in a wheelchair a bit tough as the sidewalks are more like an assault course in many places but the beach side of beach road is fine. Entrances and exits to most places are not particularly wheelchair friendly but the Thais are more than willing to assist you.

Safety wise you will be okay as long as you observe the common sense rules you'd apply going round virtually any city anywhere in the world.

There are plenty of charities to choose from many helping orphans but there is always the question of whether you need a work permit or not. Sounds crazy needing a work permit for voluntary unpaid work but the way it's viewed is that you are, potentially, taking a job a Thai could do. But I don't think the rules are cast in stone so get in, get known and ask the questions.

Meeting people is not a problem however be warned that there are more than a few expat scammers around the town so keep your wits about you and remember half of what you hear about Pattaya is lies and the other half aint true. And that's particularly true on this forum.

One thing you might be interested in is there is a group of wheelchair bound Thais with those sleek, low slung, three wheelers that race around the place. Bunch of nutters but they have a ball. Can't help you with contact info but just ask around, someone will know.

Welcome to ThaiVisa and "welcome" to Thailand. You never know we might meet up someplace but I'm here in Seoul for another couple of months.

[toffo9]

well thats put sum doubts out of my mind if you see plenty of ppl in chairs whizzing around town.. im deffo coming over in october for 3 weeks whether i go back or not depends on my time there.. by the sounds of it i wont b returning home to blighty pretty soon

[toffo9]

I think your first big decision will be; Hotel or condo? Hotels are fine, and the Amari is great (I had 2 x 1 month stays there back in the early 90's), but for a year if you are in any way independantly minded they get very claustrophobic very quick not to mention expensive (relatively). My advice is go ahead book yourself in the Amari, it's a bit far out from the action but it will do for a start, and once you've found the ropes look around for a condo.

You'll find getting around Pattaya in a wheelchair a bit tough as the sidewalks are more like an assault course in many places but the beach side of beach road is fine. Entrances and exits to most places are not particularly wheelchair friendly but the Thais are more than willing to assist you.

Safety wise you will be okay as long as you observe the common sense rules you'd apply going round virtually any city anywhere in the world.

There are plenty of charities to choose from many helping orphans but there is always the question of whether you need a work permit or not. Sounds crazy needing a work permit for voluntary unpaid work but the way it's viewed is that you are, potentially, taking a job a Thai could do. But I don't think the rules are cast in stone so get in, get known and ask the questions.

Meeting people is not a problem however be warned that there are more than a few expat scammers around the town so keep your wits about you and remember half of what you hear about Pattaya is lies and the other half aint true. And that's particularly true on this forum.

One thing you might be interested in is there is a group of wheelchair bound Thais with those sleek, low slung, three wheelers that race around the place. Bunch of nutters but they have a ball. Can't help you with contact info but just ask around, someone will know.

Welcome to ThaiVisa and "welcome" to Thailand. You never know we might meet up someplace but I'm here in Seoul for another couple of months.

thanks phil.. i appreciate you taking time to reply to my post.. more advice the better really.. thanks David

[fred2007]

So how does a disabled person in Thailand cross any road ? There are just over passes you need to step up and down the other side. How can a person in a wheel chair do this ?

[LtCol]

Diana Garedens Resort is probably the most "Wheelie" friendly & dedicated place in Patts. One of the regular stayers here is an acquaintance of mine from germany (Jens) who has the ear of several members of the Local Govt & when I was assisting an Aussie that had a problem with an Airline he assisted in some Web posting that now has given us over 900 "wheelies" world wide that support each in their travels etc.

Diana also has its own Baht Bus hourly to Soi Diana on Second Road & close to the Action if you want it.

Long Stay is welcome here & the staff are particularly attentive to all the guys that stay here & in fact Glen (The Aussie that had an Airline problem) is already booked back for November as are a few of the guys leaving in the next week or so from Switzerland , Australia , Germany , etc.

Johnny Diamond on People Pattaya 96FM gave the "Wheelies " here some on air support last week live on Air when I 'guested' with him & most of the local girls are Very welcoming. Just some Baht Bus Drivers will Double & Triple Charge you if they think they can get away with it. We have given a bit of 'Curry' to a couple that tried to charge 500Baht for a 100Baht trip when a couple of us were present.

You should enjoy LOS as much as everyone else , just don't be blind to obvious traps. One a couple of Bars try is when you have had a few & by yourself they try & give you an inflated Bill (one instance I went & rectified was 2,800 Baht ), but they have tried that on non wheeleed Tourists as well.

I have an email address or 2 etc that may be of interest. I might add that I have NO interest in any way in Diana Group or ANY other business in Thailand.But , Diana also give special rates to long term stays.

www.dianapattaya.co.th , e-mail [email protected]

But , the one thing I will say , is , GO FOR IT!!!

John

[PhilHarries]

So how does a disabled person in Thailand cross any road ? There are just over passes you need to step up and down the other side. How can a person in a wheel chair do this ?

Surprisingly enough there are let downs in the pavements at most junctions and at crossing points. They're mainly used by the motorbikes to avoid that big bump going up or down the kerb but I don't think the riders mind others using them. The problem, as i have said, is the state of the sidewalks and you might find it is easier to keep in the road. Most people I've seen about town in wheelchairs stick to the roads and don't seem to have any problems with the traffic.

[harrry]

So how does a disabled person in Thailand cross any road ? There are just over passes you need to step up and down the other side. How can a person in a wheel chair do this ?

Surprisingly enough there are let downs in the pavements at most junctions and at crossing points. They're mainly used by the motorbikes to avoid that big bump going up or down the kerb but I don't think the riders mind others using them. The problem, as i have said, is the state of the sidewalks and you might find it is easier to keep in the road. Most people I've seen about town in wheelchairs stick to the roads and don't seem to have any problems with the traffic.

I am in an electric wheelchair and I have found that there is no problem. Thais will leave space on the left of the road and will even help block traffic with their cars to help you change lanes...even the much hated taxi drivers all will do this.

Only people to watch out for in my opinion are foreigners they drive too fast and will inist on keeping too far left and blocking the motorcycles. There are also a lot of foreign scammers too among the very good ones here.

Nowhere is accessible but the people will do what they can to help without even being asked. They are also blind to disability as they are used to it among their own friends and relatives and will treat you as a person.

[CGW]

I too would recommend the Diana, also Woodlands is now wheel chair friendly. Amari is a nice hotel buy personally I would prefer either of the 2 places I have mentioned.

Best of luck...........

[Jimmyd]

I have a friend who is in a wheelchair and who has lived here. Let me know if you'd like to get in contact with him.

[khundon]

Hi im a guy of 38 and looking for a life change and seriously thinking of coming to thailand later this year.. i had a road traffic accident at the age of 21 which left me in a chair but im fully independent and live life to the full... i need loads of questions answered and lots of advice so i hope you can all pass your experiences onto me good or bad .. im coming over with a friend for 3 weeks and then after that ill b by myself.. so will my safety be ok and is it better to stay in a hotel or a condo long term, also id like to help out at a charity for a couple of days a week, are there places to do this???.. meeting people is this easy or will i have difficulty.. im tempted to stay in the amari hotel for 1 year any ideas if this hotel is good or not.. good advive on places to stay is most welcome too... im sure i will have more questions but this will do for now.. i really appreciate your help and advice, thanks in advance David..

toffo9

I don't know about all the other stuff, others will post about that but I stayed at the Amari Watergate in BKK for 6 months and had a great time.

Good luck and enjoy your stay.

[toffo9]

Hi im a guy of 38 and looking for a life change and seriously thinking of coming to thailand later this year.. i had a road traffic accident at the age of 21 which left me in a chair but im fully independent and live life to the full... i need loads of questions answered and lots of advice so i hope you can all pass your experiences onto me good or bad .. im coming over with a friend for 3 weeks and then after that ill b by myself.. so will my safety be ok and is it better to stay in a hotel or a condo long term, also id like to help out at a charity for a couple of days a week, are there places to do this???.. meeting people is this easy or will i have difficulty.. im tempted to stay in the amari hotel for 1 year any ideas if this hotel is good or not.. good advive on places to stay is most welcome too... im sure i will have more questions but this will do for now.. i really appreciate your help and advice, thanks in advance David..

thanks for all the advice and tips it will give me something to look into tonight at home on the net.. i really appreciate you taking time out to post on my thread and i hope i can keep in contact with a few of you so i can ask more questions.. thanks David..

[torrenova]

I've lived in houses and condos in Pattaya and both usually have issues with steps at the entrance. However, houses tend to be on one level as in bungalows and were you going to rent a house of mine for a long period of time then sorting out a ramp would not be an issue and that would be much easier to do in a house than a condo. Modifications to a bathroom if it is sufficient size would be easy as well. Live in or live out assistance is not a problem either.

If the budget allows, then I'd get a month rate in a hotel in the 4/5* category (there are some good deals around, I know) and sort out a house. I'd get some help as well because it costs so little. Even if just for the laundry and cleaning of the house I would rent.

I'd do research on cars before arriving. Typically you might pay Bt12-15k a month for a long term hire. I know nothing about hand controls.

Please send me a message if you want me to do some research for you. I have lived in Pattaya for years and have some good contacts in many fields. No problem.

[toffo9]

I dont mind paying upto £1k a month for a hotel or a condo but as ive never been to thai before i dont know what ill get for that budget..

[PhilHarries]

I dont mind paying upto £1k a month for a hotel or a condo but as ive never been to thai before i dont know what ill get for that budget..

That's about 1500THB per night, you should be able to find a halfway reasonable hotel for that on a long term deal. I don't know if that would cover somewhere like the Amari but I'm a bit out of tuch with rates having not lived long term in Thailand for five years.

torrenova has a good point about having a bungalow and thus avoiding stairs. Another good thing to consider is fire safety, not a good subject where Thai hotels are concerned. If you are on the 11th floor and fire breaks out, whether it's a condo or hotel, you are on your own. Besides which I don't know if you've done a long term stay in a hotel but unless you can get a suite, or similar, which ups the expense you'll be living in one room. I've done this, doing it right now, and the problem is you tend to go a little stir crazy and then it's too easy to slip into the "out on the p1ss every night" lifestyle which, apart from the expense, does your health no favours at all. Pattaya is a town where going off the rails is a common occurrence.

Something I'll mention as nobody else has brought it up. Pattaya is not for everyone. You'll see it on this forum, there are those who absolutely love the place, and those who think it's a bunghole, dung heap, modern day Soddom & Gommorah etc etc. There appears to be no ambivalent position on the place you are either with us or not. Funnily enough many of the Pattaya bashers, as they are known, just can't keep away from this forum. I think many of them love the place but are afraid to come out of the closet as it could adversely affect the standing in the ThaiVisa intelligentsia.

My point is, you may not like the place and it would be stupid to stay a year somewhere you are not happy. Keep an open mind and plan some trips to other parts of the country. There is a hel_l of a lot more to Thailand than Pattaya.

Oh, and please learn to pronounce it right. It is Pa-tah-yah not Pat-thai-ah. The phonetics may not be exact, others may comment, but the middle syllable is not thai. Listen to the Thais when you get there, you'll soon pick it up.

[toffo9]

Ive checked the amari and the longer u stay the better the rate.. think it was£1100 a month which aint bad as im paying that ere in England for my home, council tax and utilitiy bills.. Also coming to thailand is more bout doing some volunteering work than going on the piss everynite.. Its just trying to find some where to volunteer. the pattaya orphanage want you to work 5 AND A HALF DAYS AWEEK .. thats far to much work i want to enjoy myself also.. not work myself to an early grave....

[Chaimai]

I dont mind paying upto £1k a month for a hotel or a condo but as ive never been to thai before i dont know what ill get for that budget..

for that accommodation budget it will get you ....

.... many new friends

There are many expats who's total monthly expenses are less than that.

It really depends on the reason/objective of your visit. Pattaya has a particular reputation and it is a veritable playground for those seeking hedonistic pleasures of the flesh. For a taster of the entertainment areas try Googling "Pattaya, Pattaya video" or see if this works:-

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8250196646909558965

I have seen people in wheelchairs in the 'sexy' sois and the girls, without being condescending, look after disadvantaged individuals - sorry, that sounds so crass but disability is not a barrier.

If you are not coming to Pattaya for it's 'special attractions' then I would question "Why choose Pattaya"?

I think that you really need to get the perspective of another disabled person. It seems that the streets and pavement are not disabled friendly.

A starting point may be one of the associations on the following link:-

http://bangkok.angloinfo.com/information/42/disabled.asp

A 35 year old item but it may help you to get to the Thai Hotel Association - they must have specific advice for the disabled traveller.

http://bangkok.angloinfo.com/information/42/disabled.asp

The press can often be a useful source of information and although this Pattaya People article refers to a "Pattaya Disabled Association" I cannot find a website. They may well have a contact in Pattaya City Hall - again I cannot find a website.

http://www.pattayapeople.com/default.asp?F...IdArticle=13142

About Pattaya:-

http://www.pattaya-cityguide.com/history.htm

[billdo2000]

Ive checked the amari and the longer u stay the better the rate.. think it was£1100 a month which aint bad as im paying that ere in England for my home, council tax and utilitiy bills.. Also coming to thailand is more bout doing some volunteering work than going on the piss everynite.. Its just trying to find some where to volunteer. the pattaya orphanage want you to work 5 AND A HALF DAYS AWEEK .. thats far to much work i want to enjoy myself also.. not work myself to an early grave....

I lived in Pattaya for over one year while in a wheelchair. My one concern, wherever I went, was stairs or uneven sidewalks. It seemed like everywhere I wanted to go was unaccessable for me. I was not in the chair for a very long time and I would think you can get yourself around quite successfully (I couldn't).

I read other comments on this thread regarding the fares charged by baht-bus drivers. I agree; they were either theives tryting to charge 500THB or they went out of their way to help me and not overcharge.

There is a hotel near the Avenue shopping mall that has specially designed rooms for the disabled (wide doorways, plenty of bars in the bathroom, etc.) I have stayed in one of the disabled rooms. I am no longer in a wheelchair, but my foot (and part of my leg) are paralyzed and the setup of his bathroom gives me confidence while in a wet shower. Anyway, it's called Pattaya Bay Resort and it's about 1k THB per night. Check it out if you can't find anywhere else that suits you needs.

Full disclosure: an accquaintance owns it.